1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an international dining kit comprising a pair of multifunctional chopstick components comprising a first chopstick component having a fork portion and a first chopstick portion; and, a second chopstick component having a spoon portion and a second chopstick portion.
2. Description of the State of the Art
It's common and accepted that people from different parts of the world will often prefer to eat using different styles of eating utensils, but unfortunately, they do not always have the utensils that they prefer readily available in all situations. The major items of cutlery in the western world, for example, are the knife, fork and spoon. Chopsticks, on the other hand, are the traditional eating utensils of East Asia, where China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam are considered “chopstick countries,” and Thailand is often now included in that list.
In East Asian cultures, children learn to use chopsticks as their first utensils. In China, for example, a child has usually gained the ability to eat every grain of rice in a ricebowl with chopsticks by the age of three. Moreover, in such cultures, the food is also more often prepared specifically for handling with chopsticks: the food generally contains small pieces, and the rice is often sticky, which leads to “clumping” and easier eating with chopsticks. As such, Asian meals generally do not require any use of Western eating utensils, with the exception, perhaps, of the addition of a spoon, which is popular in Korea. On the other hand, food prepared using Western methods tend to require Western eating utensils, as they are often prepared in larger pieces and need to be cut with a fork and a knife. Even similar size foods can vary in their ability to be handled with a particular eating utensil—rice prepared using Western cultural methods tend be “fluffy”, for example, and is particularly difficult to eat with chopsticks. The availability of multi-functional eating utensils is limited, and none of those that are available provide the benefits that result from the dining kit of the present invention. For example, two of the most recognized forms of such utensils are the “spork” (spoon/fork) and “knork” (knife/fork), neither of which provide chopstick functionality. Examples of patents directed to multi-functional eating utensils include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,056,173; 5,791,053; and 6,067,717.
Since people commonly have different preferences for eating utensils, and since such preferences and needs should be respected in all sectors of society, including private and commercial sectors, there is a great need for an international dining kit that provides for, and respects, these personal preferences and needs. One of skill will appreciate that such a kit can be beneficial and useful in about any location having an international presence. These locations, for example, can include any place where people can gather to dine, such as the private home; schools; restaurants; fast food franchises; and travel and recreation providers, which include, but are not limited to, the airline industry, trains, cruise ships, and the like. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that multi-functional eating utensils are currently unavailable in a form that is useful and practical, such that they are affordable and readily accessible, particularly considering the need for ease of packaging, storage, and use, as well as the need for utensils that are disposable and/or biodegradable.